Motorola has begun shipping its first Bluetooth headset co-branded with VoIP service Skype, punting the pack into the US retail market through RadioShack.

The bundle - dubbed the Motorola Wireless Internet Calling Kit - comprises the Motorola's H500 headset and its P850 Bluetooth dongle for PCs that lack this kind of wireless connectivity. Skype's contribution is a copy of its software and 30 minutes of call time for dialling numbers outside the Skype network.

Motorola said the H500 offers eight hours' talk time and has a range of 30ft.

Using Skype with a wireless headset is a big improvement over both wired headsets and having to hunch over to get in range of a notebook's built-in microphone. As such it provides Motorola with a way to sell Bluetooth headsets outside the mobile phone market. Skype, on the other hand, gets its product into stores and in front of mainstream consumers rather than the more technical types who have downloaded its software to date.

Motorola and Skype announced their plan to jointly market each other's products in February 2005.

The Motorola Wireless Internet Calling Kit costs $100 and is on sale not only through RadioShack outlets but also from the Skype website. ®